Later Unitarians in Christianity 197such a persan retum, he or she would be hanged. There were also
penalties for anyone who attended a religious meeting of five or
more persons not authorised by the official Trinitarian Church.
Should anyone commit this offence a second time, they would be
banished to America, and in case of retum or escape would suffer
death without benefit of clergy.
The Test Act of 1673providedthat, apartfrom the punishment
providedfor in the Act of 1664,anyperson whodid not receive the
sacrament according to the usage of the Church of England would
on conviction be no longer able to sue anyone or bring any action
in the law courts. He could no longer be a guardian of any child, or
an executor, or the recipient of any legaey or deed or gift. Should
anyone convicted under this law attempt to do any of thèse things,
they were Hable to a five hundred pound fine.
In 1689 theTolerationAct waspassed.However, tolerationwas
deniedto allthose whodidnot accept the doctrineof Trinity.Natu
rally the Unitarians condemned the intolerance of the Toleration
Act. Parliament replied by condemning Unitarianism as an 'ob
noxiousheresy'.Thepenaltyfor this'crime' wastheloss of all civil
rights together with imprisonment for three years. However what
Biddle had stood for could not be removed from men's hearts by
statute alone, eventhough such laws prevented many from openly
professing their faith.
Those who feIt they were unable ta defy the law and openly
denounce the doctrine of Trinity resorted to various expedients in
order to quieten the reproaches of their conscience. Sorne quietly
omitted those parts of the Athanasian Creed of which they did not
approve. Sorne had it read by the parish clerk. One priest is said ta
have shown his disrespect for the ereed by having it sung to a popu
lar hunting tune. Another priest, before he read out the Trinitarian
creed as prescribed by law, used to say, 'Brethren, this is the creed
of St. Athanasius, but God forbid that it should be the creed of any
other man!' :D However, on the whole, those who believed in the
Divine Unity did not generally dare to openly declare their faith.
Biddle was a serious scholar, and his formulations were the re
suit of profound study. He was convinced that he could best serve
mankind by fearlessly bearing witness to the truth, even if this
meant reproach and persecution. He was prepared to accept pov
erty, the dungeon and exile. He wanted men to leave the churches
which he regarded as corrupt, and to renounce all outward con
formity to any profession of error. He had the courage of a martyr
- and he died as one.